Baghdad's streets were much quieter than usual, many shopkeepers slamming down their metal shutters, nervous of impending battles between US and Iraqi forces against Sunni and Shia gunmen.

Sunni insurgents vowed to kill the new troops, Shia militia fighters to guard their territory and ordinary Iraqis saw little prospect of President Bush's plan restoring order and prosperity to their lives.

Their attitudes reflected the mutual suspicion between Sunnis and Shias, disillusionment from both communities at the Shia-led government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, and either hostility or ambivalence toward two brigades of Iraqi Kurdish troops who will be sent down from the north to reinforce Baghdad, with one Shia brigade moving north.

The Times spoke to ordinary Iraqis on the streets of Baghdad who gave their reaction to the plan and whether they think it will change life in the restive city for the better or worse.

Abdul Qadir Mohammed, a Sunni originally from Anbar Province, said: "Nothing will change. We have heard many similar speeches and nothing happened. We really hope that this new strategy will work but honestly from inside, I feel it will not.

"The Americans should be serious about taking serious measures against the ongoing Iraqi government because it's the main problem at the moment, by backing the militias and the death squads. The best thing I see in this strategy is the sending of new troops into Iraq and the deployment Kurdish troops in Baghdad because both will not serve as death squads like the Interior Ministry commandos who have killed thousands of Iraqis for sectarian reasons."

Hasanain Akram, 34, a doctor who was waiting in a petrol queue, said: "I expect that the new plan will make things even worse because both the Kurdish and the Shia troops from the south will only serve their sects and their people. I think if the Americans want to solve the problems in Iraq they should change the Iraqi government because it's causing the main problems in the country. I'm very pessimistic as everything is bad in this country and there is lack of basic life needs: no electricity, no petrol, not water.

"Nothing is functioning properly in this place. Although I am Shia I refuse to be linked to Maliki and his Shia bloc, and all they have done in this government because they are not representing us and they are very sectarian. So the problem is not with Iraqis, the problem is with the government.

"Instead of sending more troops to kill more Iraqis they should fight against the corruption and sectarianism of the government. I was displaced from Al Adel neighbourhood and may not be able to get back to my house again in my life so what economic improvement are they talking about. Their promises will be just like the last ones that have never been fulfilled."

Barber Ahmed Hussein, 30, a Shia, said: "Bush's lies are countless. He kept on saying the situation in Iraq was very good and improving while Iraqis were killed, tortured and kidnapped so it shows how he says nothing but lies.

"I don't think bringing more American troops will help because these troops don't actually know what are the main problems in this country. Neither do the Kurds because they don't even know the place and the language, so they will be of no help. So how would anybody expect any improvements and solutions for the problems if they don't even understand what the situation is?

"Of course they should work on improving the economy of this country and providing new jobs and fighting unemployment, because most of those who join the militias and the armed groups are desperate jobless young men who had no other choice. But still I doubt that these promises will be fulfilled and I doubt the security situation will improve."

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